FWP, Yellowstone increase hoot-owl fishing restrictions, full closures

Warming air and water temperatures across southwest Montana has prompted Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to institute fishing restrictions and closures along six rivers.

The Madison River, from Madison Dam to the footbridge at the NorthWestern Energy powerhouse will be closed to all fishing beginning Wednesday, July 15.

Warm outflows from Ennis reservoir are preventing the waterway from cooling overnight, according to FWP officials, and high water temperatures can be lethal to native fish species.

The department is also enacting hoot owl closures — which prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day — along sections of six rivers:

• Big Hole River: two sections of the river are impacted (Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with North Fork of the Big Hole River and Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site to confluence with Beaverhead River)
• Gallatin River: lower river, from Cameron Bridge Road to the confluence with the Missouri River
• East Gallatin River: entire river
• Jefferson River: entire river
• Madison River: lower river, from the footbridge at the NorthWestern Energy powerhouse to the confluence with the Jefferson River (this extends the hoot-owl that is already in place from Warm Springs FAS to the confluence)
• Ruby River: lower river, from Duncan District Road to the confluence with the Beaverhead River

There are also restrictions in place along other sections of the Madison and Lower Beaverhead rivers.

For the latest updates on FWP’s fishing restrictions, including a map, visit their website.

In addition, Yellowstone National Park officials are implementing full fishing closers on the Firehole and Madison rivers, which previously were under hoot-owl restrictions. The Gibbon River and its tributaries downstream from Norris Campground are also temporarily closed.

Yellowstone staff said in a press release peak water temperatures have ranged from 80 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit during the day along the waterways. Coupled with high air temperatures, these conditions are lethal to trout, and there have been reports of dead fish in the Firehole River.

The closures will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve.